Elon Musk has taken a firm stance against the abusive use of the terms “cis” and “cisgender” on Twitter. The move came after LGBT activists targeted James Esses, co-founder of Thoughtful Therapists, for his criticism of gender identity ideology. Esses publicly rejected the label of “cis” and expressed his concerns about the impact of gender identity ideology on children. In response, LGBT activists bombarded him with derogatory messages including insults and slurs.
Musk intervened by stating that repeated targeted harassment would result in temporary suspensions and declared that the words “cis” and “cisgender” were considered slurs on the platform. Musk’s post received widespread support, with over 147,000 likes at the time of publication. Esses thanked Musk for standing up for reality, and others, such as Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, highlighted the abuse of language in transgender extremism.
A Twitter poll conducted in May found that 78.2% of respondents considered “cis” to be a slur. While the prefix “cis” has long been used in the sciences to mean “on this side,” the term “cisgender” is an ideology-advancing term that assumes a disconnect between gender and sex. It suggests that straightness is not the default and that being trans is not abnormal.
The Oxford English Dictionary added “cisgender” to its listing in 2015, and Merriam-Webster followed suit in 2016. However, the origins of the terms “cisgender” and “cissexual” can be traced back to the work of Volkmar Siguschin, a pedophile apologist. Siguschin introduced the terms in a publication in 1991. Genevieve Gluck, co-founder of Reduxx, a feminist publication, highlighted the problematic background of Siguschin and his views on child sexuality and pornography.
Musk acknowledged Siguschin’s troubling past and referred to him as a “contemptible creep” responsible for manufacturing the term “cis.” Musk’s stance against the abusive use of these terms is seen as a significant move against gender ideology and its exponents.
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